Plans to hike airfares headed for the ground already?

By Report by CNBC-TV18 | 08 Mar 2007

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When you are driving through heavy traffic, you can choose to stop and wait for traffic to pass. But not while you are flying. Perhaps, that's what explains this nagging Rs150 rupee on your ticket.

The airlines call it congestion charge and an attempt to recover Rs350 crore lost every year due to the choked airspace. This could go up by as much as three times if the aviation ministry's proposal to hike airport charges go through. The hike is aimed at reducing traffic during peak hours. But it has miffed many.

Delhi High Court has called the congestion charge passenger-unfriedly, asking the ministry for an explanation. The ministry itself sounds confused.

While aviation minister Praful Patel talks of a nominal hike, secretary Ashok Chawla is on record says charges will be doubled. Either way, it's bad news for fliers.

"They should have better management to see the flights are on time," says a passenger, Madur Nikam. The hike in charges is to ease peak hour pressure on airports but experts doubt if it will work in India.

"They have capacity hence they can do it here; it is saturated and there is shortage of capacity at these peak hours," says Kapil Kaul, CEO, CAPA.

Airlines are also unlikely to let go of their lucrative slots, so the hike is unlikely to ease congestion.

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